Offense can also be spelled offence. The difference is that offense is the standard spelling in the United States, while offence is standard in other English-speaking countries.

OFFENCE definition: 1. an illegal act; a crime: 2. upset and hurt or annoyed feelings, often because someone has been…. Learn more.

His conduct is an offense to public decency. Such screaming is an offense to my ears. The stronger offense won the game. She began the season on offense. The quarterback's passing …

Offence is the British spelling of offense, meaning "a punishable act." If you break a law for the first time, it’s your first offence.

Definition of offence noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Nov 11, 2025 · The terms “offense” and “offence” are essentially the same word, differing only in their spelling based on geographical usage. Both words refer to a violation of a law, rule, or …

OFFENCE definition: variant of offense. See examples of offence used in a sentence.

Both “offense” and “offence” are correct spellings of the same noun, both having the same meaning. The only difference is that “offense” is preferred in US English and “offence” is used …

There are 14 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun offence, seven of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

1. (any cause of) anger, displeasure, hurt feelings etc.